


Strong Heart and a Nerve of Steel

by miss_whimsy



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Wedding Planning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-13
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-09-17 06:33:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9309680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_whimsy/pseuds/miss_whimsy
Summary: Robert and Aaron consider eloping.





	

**Author's Note:**

> For [district3-jj](http://district3-jj.tumblr.com).

Neither of them had ever wanted a big wedding.

Aaron hated being the centre of attention, always had. The worst thing he could imagine was having to stand up in front of his family and try to explain how he felt about Robert. 

Because there were no words that could ever explain it. He had told people he loved Robert - his mum, Paddy, Liv - and other people knew without being told - Adam and Victoria - but those words, “I love him”, had always felt too small to encompass what Robert actually meant to him.

The things he wanted to say, the words that pressed against his lips at night when they lay in bed, begging to be released. those were for Robert only, not everyone in the village to pick apart and wonder about.

“We could get married while we’re there,” Aaron said one night, sliding into bed next to Robert.

“While we’re where?” Robert asked without looking up from his book.

“Las Vegas.”

That did make Robert look up, a tiny frown forming as he tried to make sense of Aaron’s words.

He’d already done the big wedding thing. The flowers and the church and the fancy reception. It had been hell for more than one reason. He didn’t want to go through it again. He was quite happy that Aaron didn’t want it either, except...

Except. 

Part of him, and he would admit it was a large part, wanted to stand in the middle of the village and shout to every single person who lived there that Aaron Dingle was the man he loved and wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He wanted to look every nosy busybody in the eye and tell them that this was it, that Aaron was the one. He wanted to stand in that graveyard holding Aaron’s hand and tell his dad he didn’t give a damn what he thought because this time he’d done the right thing for him and to hell with anybody else.

“Do you want to do that?” Robert asked, setting his book aside. “Elope?”

Aaron shrugged, but his eyes were sparkling, bright and hopeful, which was all the answer Robert needed. 

“It would be nice, wouldn’t it? Just you and me.”

“Yeah,” Robert agreed, because he understood the appeal, even if his version of small was a little bigger. “What about your mum and Liv? What about Adam and Vic?”

Really that was all Robert needed. To have his sister there beside him, and Chas and Liv. They were his family. Adam too, if pushed. 

“We’ll do something for them when we get back,” Aaron said. “But the wedding part, that could be just us. Our way. No fuss. No frills. No speeches or first dance or cutting the cake.”

“Just Elvis marrying us in a tacky wedding chapel?”

“I looked it up,” Aaron told him. “We could do it in the hotel. They all have chapels. It wouldn’t be tacky. No Elvis allowed. Just you and me, promising to be together forever.”

Robert stared at him for a long moment, then leant over to kiss him.

“I promise to love you and be with you forever.”

“Nice try,” Aaron said, smiling against his lips. “Come on, I’m serious.”

“Okay,” Robert sighed. “Let’s let fate decide.” He shifted on the bed so he could open the bedside drawer and pulled out a penny that had rolled in there ages ago, which he’d never bothered to remove.

“Fate?”

“It’s Vegas,” Robert explained, holding up the coin. “It’s all about fate. Heads we get married in Vegas, tails we get married here. Agreed?”

Aaron took a deep breath and nodded. “Agreed.”


End file.
